Someone Has Shot Arrows into my Vintage PC Collection

[§ Gideon §]

I don't know who else could understand, and I really need to let loose some steam. I apologize in advance.

I'm 20 and commute to college. At home, I share a room with my 18-year-old brother. So, I don't have space for all the great things I've collected. Much of my collection is boxed up, and I wait patiently for when I have a place of my own.

I recently got a few, really lucky finds and had to make some more room. I headed downstairs to see how things could be rearranged. As I reached for the most treasured box, I saw six holes in the side of it. The box had been turned so that the holes faced toward the wall.

That 18-year-old brother I told you about? Well, I neglected to mention he's a bit of an ass. People can say that expression, "There's one in every family," and nobody feels bad about saying that: It's because of people like my brother. I called him up and asked. 'Couldn't get any straight answers because it's Sunday morning, and he's still enjoying Saturday's booze. 'Said he didn't remember. 'Said he might have done it but wasn't sure.

Shit. I thought we at least had more respect between us than that. We've always managed to respect each other's stuff, and I never, ever even used any of his property without asking. Here's what he--or possibly one of his friends--broke of mine:

• X-Com: UFO Defense, CIB. This was my favorite--the original print run. Man, I don't know how I'm going to find a replacement.
• Civilization II, CIB.
• HoMM II, CIB.
• D-Generation, CIB.
• The Offical Quake Level Editor, NRFB. (When investigation was underway, when we were still wondering WTF happened, my dad shook this and heard a rattle. We peeled away the plastic seal and found a tip from one of the arrows inside.)
• Manuals
• MtG, Diablo, Warcraft, Outpost, some Ultimas, and a handful of other games. All were CIB.

I've made a few regretful trades. I've even lost some my collection to flood. That kind of stuff happens, and it's part of life. But I've never experienced anything like this. To tell the truth, I'm not sure if the damage is all that great; I don't have a clear mind right now, so I really don't know. What's bugging me is the reason. Why would someone fuck with my most personal belongings? Is life not exciting enough and they want an ass-kicking??

I'll get some straight answers when he's sober enough. Please don't think low of me for that ass-kicking comment, because I'm not interested in fighting; I just want answers and recompense. And if you're wondering why I called it my "most treasured" box, it's because these are all the games I played growing up--they're my childhood. Thankfully, the perpetrator was doing this shit at point blank range--so the spread of arrows isn't too big, and some of the other items remain unharmed.

[AB Positive]

Point blank range? Can't say that's too accidental...

As a pacifist, let me say that I don't blame you for saying you want to kick his ass. I'd be pretty pissed off myself, and would probably give the verbal equivolent of an ass-kicking should someone have done this to me.

-AB+

[Damaramu]

Personally, I would move all my stuff into a storage unit. They can be rented for cheap.

Then I would atomize some of my brother's treasured items.

Ok, seriously though, get your stuff into storage asap. The small bit of money you'll spend on a storage unit is worth saving these valued games and such.

[diskoboy]

OUCH!! Man I know how you feel. A while back, my folks sold my boxed copies of MDK 1 and Battlezone in a garage sale for 25 cents each.

Still haven't forgiven them. Especially for Battlezone.

[suppafly]

Kick his ass. or break his nose.

[Poofta!]

hahaha

sorry thats just funny.

[Push Upstairs]

I'm a mellow guy, but something like that would make me blow up.

It wouldn't be the loss of the games so much as knowing that someone was that disrespectful to my property.


I suppose a little "whoops, did i just dump all your booze down the drain?" would make me feel alot better.

[whoisKeel]

Yeah, definitely sounds like non-accident to me (6 holes). Kick his ass seabass.

[DeputyMoniker]

I'm not really sure how I'd react to that. I'd either kick his ass or tear his shit up. Him being family only means he should get over the ass kicking without being too mad at me. I'd go slap him around a little & tear up some of his important shit. Not only did he tear your things up but he hid it from you...thats the main problem. He could have been a man about it and said "hey, bro. I owe you some new stuff. I messed up last night"
Saying "I'm not sure if I did it" is his way of covering up that he made the decision to do it.
What if he did it 30 seconds ago? Would you kick his ass then?

[Kitsune Sniper]

Break his fingers. With a nutcracker. Slowly. While forcing him to watch House of the Dead and Alone in the Dark at the same time.

[heybtbm]

I kind of know how you feel. Several years ago, my brother left my Genesis and about 20 games (all classics from the '89-'91 era) at some idiot friends house. When I found out about it a few months later, his friend conveniently "couldn't find anything". Rage.

[Sothy]

Yeah... thats pretty much an automatic ass whuppin.

[Ed Oscuro]

I would probably break somebody's nose if this happened to me (good luck FINDING my stuff, though)

What you should do is force him to replace everything. Sealed copies.

[§ Gideon §]

What you should do is force him to replace everything. Sealed copies.

This would be a fair course of action. We're looking into it, but generally my brother is a penniless bastard...

I suppose a little "whoops, did i just dump all your booze down the drain?" would make me feel alot better.

... which is why that's not a viable option. He steals his beer from Mom & Dad or gets it from other kids' parents.

I'm glad you guys understand, and I'm sorry if it disappoints you to learn that I'm not going to kick ass. Even if he wasn't 3 hours away, I... well, I can't say what would happen. But he's gone, and I've got a cool head now. Thanks.

I'm also sorry to hear that some of you have had greater sibling hardships. But this arrow thing is different. What I mean is I could understand someone loaning games to a friend; their friendship benefits. I still feel your pain, though; I'm mad and, frankly, a little disgusted. I could also understand selling something at a garage sale (please don't kill me for saying that), because the benefit is money... That burns me up, too (especially the 25 cents part; someone got a helluva deal that day)--but I can understand the logic behind wanting to earn money. However, the benefit of shooting arrows into somebody's stuff is just destruction. Maybe my brother secretly hates me.

[§ Gideon §]

Oh yeah, I forgot: He called back an hour or two ago and admitted to doing it. 'Said he thought the box of games was "just a box of clothes or books." That's how he thinks, I guess.

[Flack]

Personally I would first remove all my things from his reach, and second shoot an arrow through his television.

[Sailorneorune]

Things like this are just one of the reasons why I don't drink... people in my age bracket are thoroughly convinced that they are like Superman and are very wont to do some incredibly stupid shit.

That said, make his life hell, OP.

[MachineGex]

My best friend in high school had a brother just like this. Sadly, years later nothing has changed. If you do not move your stuff into storage like suggested, you might as well not buy anything nice. People who act like your brother never change.

[genocidalrobot]

That really, really sucks, I feel for you.

I have two younger brothers who have borrowed & then misplaced or abused whatever they've borrowed. Anything from music CDs to record albums to games & systems.

I don't even want to list out what I've lost because its just going to get me pissed.

[Emuaust]

yeah we all seem to have one of thoose brothers, but I have three!

Due to fact that I am the oldest I was working and earning money
from an early age while my brothers got everything handed
to them resulting in them haveing little to no respect for property, yes 2 of them
have changed now but wow when I was growing up they would STEAL lots and lots of my things,
not only games but rather large amounts of money from me.

While I have been lucky to replace most things now I would have to say unfortunatly I can have the last laugh as I have
a far more succsesful life due to having to earn my way.

Also One brother is now a Druggie/Drunk living his life on unemployment benefits with huge fines
hanging over his head from all the idiotic things he has managed to do in his life.

Remeber theese words, even if you are pissed off now,
"What goes around comes around"